Great reading and writing strategies presented by author Dr. Katie Stover at SCIRA board meeting yesterday!

I came back from the SCIRA meeting yesterday pumped up!  Dr. Katie Stover modeled two strategies from her new book, Smuggling Writing:  Strategies That Get Students to Write Everyday, in Every Content Area.  I can't wait until this book is released!

The first strategy Dr. Stover demonstrated was ways in which we can engage students in reading and writing by using a Reading Roadmap.  Dr. Stover provided us with examples that help students navigate their way through content reading, guided reading, online text, and so on.  This link will take you to a book for sale with 50 comprehension-boosting reproducibles for 50 picture books.  Dr. Stover showed us yesterday how to create your own reading roadmap for any piece of text in which you want students to practice before, during, and after reading thinking and writing.  I, though, fully believe in borrowing templates from others.  I found this wonderful blog post from Hand-Me-Down Mom Genes that not only gives an excellent description of reading roadmaps, but provides a very user-friendly template!  Please visit the blog for the template.

Dr. Stover encouraged us to integrate technology by creating a roadmap for a piece of text in Prezi.  I think I just might work with some of my staff to do that!

The second strategy Dr. Stover shared was Talking Drawings.  This strategy activates prior knowledge by having the learner create a mental image.  After reading, students draw a revised picture that illustrates their new learning.  Dr. Stover modeled this with us by having us draw what came to mind when she said, "Wolf."  We then shared our drawing with a partner.  Most of the crowd drew sharp fangs, howling at the moon, or something in relation to familiar stories with a wolf.

Dr. Stover then read aloud the book, Wolf! by Becky Bloom.

After listening, we each went back to our original drawing and revised.  We shared our revision with our elbow partner.  Both of us added a smile to our picture and more detail that showed the wolf having intelligence.

The Talking Drawings strategy is especially useful with content area curriculum.  One example Dr. Stover showed us was the before and after picture from a student learning about matter.  This formative assessment was the best example of student learning!  At first the student had just a face with a squiggle mouth saying, What's the matter?  After, the student had a chart with the types of matter and examples!  Wonderful!

I plan to use Talking Drawings with my faculty this Wednesday, in regards to special education accommodations.  I'll have solid evidence of learning that takes place!